Storm brewing in China’s solar-panel sector threatens to spiral out of control
By Yujie Xue
Within days of a nascent Opec-style agreement by Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers to end a bruising price war and curb oversupply, the pact was on the brink of unravelling.
At the annual meeting of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) in early December, 33 top PV makers signed a self-discipline pledge loosely based on the cartel of the world’s biggest oil producers. Manufacturers agreed on production quotas based on their capacity and pledged to follow the recommended price floor previously set by the association.
A fortnight later, the CPIA issued a rare open letter criticising a Xinjiang-based solar project for flouting the agreement. The subsidiary of China Energy Investment Group set a maximum bidding limit significantly below the CPIA’s price floor of 0.68 yuan (US$0.09) per watt and chose the winning candidates with the lowest prices.
“Are you trying to stop the industry’s vicious competition, or exacerbate it?” the CPIA asked.
That episode has further damaged industry morale, as industry insiders and analysts had considered the Opec-like pact as one of the last realistic efforts to save China’s 1 million plus solar-related firms that have been scarred by a year-long price war and overcapacity that even Beijing finds troubling.
The sector’s problems began after a round of capacity expansion in 2021, after President Xi Jinping unveiled the country’s 2060 net-zero emission goals, and a target of at least 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind capacity by 2030. Companies, including those from outside the energy sector, rushed to produce solar panels.
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By Yujie Xue
Within days of a nascent Opec-style agreement by Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers to end a bruising price war and curb oversupply, the pact was on the brink of unravelling.
At the annual meeting of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) in early December, 33 top PV makers signed a self-discipline pledge loosely based on the cartel of the world’s biggest oil producers. Manufacturers agreed on production quotas based on their capacity and pledged to follow the recommended price floor previously set by the association.
A fortnight later, the CPIA issued a rare open letter criticising a Xinjiang-based solar project for flouting the agreement. The subsidiary of China Energy Investment Group set a maximum bidding limit significantly below the CPIA’s price floor of 0.68 yuan (US$0.09) per watt and chose the winning candidates with the lowest prices.
“Are you trying to stop the industry’s vicious competition, or exacerbate it?” the CPIA asked.
That episode has further damaged industry morale, as industry insiders and analysts had considered the Opec-like pact as one of the last realistic efforts to save China’s 1 million plus solar-related firms that have been scarred by a year-long price war and overcapacity that even Beijing finds troubling.
The sector’s problems began after a round of capacity expansion in 2021, after President Xi Jinping unveiled the country’s 2060 net-zero emission goals, and a target of at least 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind capacity by 2030. Companies, including those from outside the energy sector, rushed to produce solar panels.
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Winds fuelling Los Angeles wildfires calm down as accusations fly: ‘we’re underfunded’
By Agence France-Presse
Winds calmed on Friday around Los Angeles, providing a fleeting window of opportunity for firefighters battling five major blazes, as official recriminations began over responsibility for the disaster.
At least 11 people have died as flames ripped through neighbourhoods and razed thousands of homes this week in a disaster that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene”.
As the scale of the damage to America’s second-biggest city came into focus – one new estimate suggested the bill could hit US$150 billion – Angelenos grappled with the heart-rending ruin.
“I lost everything. My house burned down and I lost everything,” Hester Callul, who reached a shelter after fleeing her Altadena home, said.
With fears of looting and crime growing, California Governor Gavin Newsom deployed the National Guard to bolster law enforcement.
A nighttime curfew has been imposed in evacuated areas, and dozens of arrests made.
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By Agence France-Presse
Winds calmed on Friday around Los Angeles, providing a fleeting window of opportunity for firefighters battling five major blazes, as official recriminations began over responsibility for the disaster.
At least 11 people have died as flames ripped through neighbourhoods and razed thousands of homes this week in a disaster that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene”.
As the scale of the damage to America’s second-biggest city came into focus – one new estimate suggested the bill could hit US$150 billion – Angelenos grappled with the heart-rending ruin.
“I lost everything. My house burned down and I lost everything,” Hester Callul, who reached a shelter after fleeing her Altadena home, said.
With fears of looting and crime growing, California Governor Gavin Newsom deployed the National Guard to bolster law enforcement.
A nighttime curfew has been imposed in evacuated areas, and dozens of arrests made.
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Chinese firms face stumbling blocks abroad: old competitive mindsets may be their undoing
By Ji Siqi
This is the third in a three-part series looking at efforts by Chinese companies to step out of their comfort zone and expand abroad amid mounting domestic competition, and how this has resulted in learning curves, labour scandals and more diverse supply chains.
When a BYD executive claimed “foreign forces” and some domestic media were “deliberately smearing Chinese brands and the country” on social media in response to a Brazilian investigation that found 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like conditions” at the EV giant’s construction site, veterans in China’s outbound investment field said it seemed like the real problem was being handwaved off.
Some contended that the race to the bottom is so deeply rooted in Chinese business soil – with low costs and low prices forever the golden rule – that it is spreading overseas amid the rapid global expansions of Chinese companies.
Their mindset often entails outcompeting others by submitting the lowest bid, then cutting costs to make that bid financially viable, according to Liu Tanghua, China region general manager of the Terra Regia Industrial Park in Mexico. The BYD saga reminded Liu of his experience more than 20 years ago when he went abroad for the first time to India and Sri Lanka, working as a translator for construction projects under Chinese companies.
“Two decades later, as China is getting much stronger, people think there should be improvements in all aspects,” Liu said. “But such a routine remains the same.”
As more and more Chinese companies build factories overseas amid insufficient domestic demand and persistently elevated trade barriers, experts have warned that transplanting the vicious-competition approach to foreign lands will only serve to backfire, hamper their local operations and hurt the reputation of Chinese firms as a whole.
“Chinese companies have to adapt to the local context: you cannot go to other countries with a certain Chinese way of doing things,” said Dominique Turpin, a professor of marketing and the European president of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai.
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By Ji Siqi
This is the third in a three-part series looking at efforts by Chinese companies to step out of their comfort zone and expand abroad amid mounting domestic competition, and how this has resulted in learning curves, labour scandals and more diverse supply chains.
When a BYD executive claimed “foreign forces” and some domestic media were “deliberately smearing Chinese brands and the country” on social media in response to a Brazilian investigation that found 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like conditions” at the EV giant’s construction site, veterans in China’s outbound investment field said it seemed like the real problem was being handwaved off.
Some contended that the race to the bottom is so deeply rooted in Chinese business soil – with low costs and low prices forever the golden rule – that it is spreading overseas amid the rapid global expansions of Chinese companies.
Their mindset often entails outcompeting others by submitting the lowest bid, then cutting costs to make that bid financially viable, according to Liu Tanghua, China region general manager of the Terra Regia Industrial Park in Mexico. The BYD saga reminded Liu of his experience more than 20 years ago when he went abroad for the first time to India and Sri Lanka, working as a translator for construction projects under Chinese companies.
“Two decades later, as China is getting much stronger, people think there should be improvements in all aspects,” Liu said. “But such a routine remains the same.”
As more and more Chinese companies build factories overseas amid insufficient domestic demand and persistently elevated trade barriers, experts have warned that transplanting the vicious-competition approach to foreign lands will only serve to backfire, hamper their local operations and hurt the reputation of Chinese firms as a whole.
“Chinese companies have to adapt to the local context: you cannot go to other countries with a certain Chinese way of doing things,” said Dominique Turpin, a professor of marketing and the European president of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai.
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Japan, Indonesia plan a joint warship amid China tensions at sea
By Julian Ryall
In a move that analysts see as emblematic of Tokyo’s shift towards broader security alliances – and Jakarta’s quest to bolster its maritime defences – Japan and Indonesia are on the cusp of a landmark agreement to co-develop a warship for the Indonesian Navy.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was expected to move the project forward on Saturday during talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta.
Although details remain under wraps, experts speculate the design of the warship could draw on the advanced destroyers of Japan’s s Maritime Self-Defence Forces, retooled to meet Indonesia’s operational needs.
The collaboration, analysts say, signals Tokyo’s shift towards more strategic partnerships with Southeast Asian nations facing territorial disputes with Beijing.
“In the last two or three years, in a strategy laid out by [former] prime minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has been working to strengthen its alliances with like-minded countries, particularly countries in Southeast Asia, to create a coalition against the growing potential of China,” said Masayuki Masuda, director of Chinese studies at the National Institute of Defence Studies in Tokyo.
These partnerships align with Tokyo’s push for “more robust security cooperation”, Masuda told This Week in Asia.
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By Julian Ryall
In a move that analysts see as emblematic of Tokyo’s shift towards broader security alliances – and Jakarta’s quest to bolster its maritime defences – Japan and Indonesia are on the cusp of a landmark agreement to co-develop a warship for the Indonesian Navy.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was expected to move the project forward on Saturday during talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta.
Although details remain under wraps, experts speculate the design of the warship could draw on the advanced destroyers of Japan’s s Maritime Self-Defence Forces, retooled to meet Indonesia’s operational needs.
The collaboration, analysts say, signals Tokyo’s shift towards more strategic partnerships with Southeast Asian nations facing territorial disputes with Beijing.
“In the last two or three years, in a strategy laid out by [former] prime minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has been working to strengthen its alliances with like-minded countries, particularly countries in Southeast Asia, to create a coalition against the growing potential of China,” said Masayuki Masuda, director of Chinese studies at the National Institute of Defence Studies in Tokyo.
These partnerships align with Tokyo’s push for “more robust security cooperation”, Masuda told This Week in Asia.
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Learning to celebrate Lunar New Year in deepest, darkest Devon
By Dionne Thompson
While the world agonised over the political correctness of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” I had a far smaller, if also urgent, dilemma: how to “correctly” celebrate Lunar New Year so my mixed-raced daughters know what it is.
When we lived in Singapore, my husband made sure they knew their English heritage. Now that we live in England, it’s my job to keep their Singaporean identity alive. And celebrating Lunar New Year in a tiny Devon village is hard work. My husband may not agree with how Christmas is celebrated in Singapore but at least it’s a public holiday.
Where we are, it’s school, business, indeed, life as usual. In the midst of the pandemic lockdown, in the bitterly cold winter, I wondered darkly: does anyone here know it’s Lunar New Year?
The problem with being the sole source of Singaporean Chinese culture for my children is I’m neither very traditional nor do I agree with everything in my culture. My attempts at teaching them Mandarin and Teochew have failed spectacularly, and I’m not interested in passing on the conservative Chinese values I was raised with; I don’t want absolute obedience, my children’s sexual proclivities, whatever they turn out to be, are none of my business, and I want them to find their place in the world, not be put in their place by outdated ideas about daughters, wives or mothers. The only area I feel I could transmit culture in is food.
So, Lunar New Year means bak kwa (a juicy jerky), pineapple tarts (in the style of Singapore bakery Bengawan Solo), kueh bangkit (coconut cookies) and curry leaf salted egg yolk biscuits – the last not terribly traditional but I like them and, importantly, it’s among the few festive foods I can make. Because if I didn’t make it, there would be no festive food. (If we lived in London, with their festive pop-ups, things would be easier.)
My first attempt at grilling bak kwa was an absolute disaster. My girls hated it; I was devastated. Then my sister took pity and sent us some from Singapore’s Bee Cheng Hiang. The girls decided it was the world’s best thing. In desperation, I once emailed Bee Cheng Hiang begging it to deliver to Britain; I received a nice but firm no.
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By Dionne Thompson
While the world agonised over the political correctness of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” I had a far smaller, if also urgent, dilemma: how to “correctly” celebrate Lunar New Year so my mixed-raced daughters know what it is.
When we lived in Singapore, my husband made sure they knew their English heritage. Now that we live in England, it’s my job to keep their Singaporean identity alive. And celebrating Lunar New Year in a tiny Devon village is hard work. My husband may not agree with how Christmas is celebrated in Singapore but at least it’s a public holiday.
Where we are, it’s school, business, indeed, life as usual. In the midst of the pandemic lockdown, in the bitterly cold winter, I wondered darkly: does anyone here know it’s Lunar New Year?
The problem with being the sole source of Singaporean Chinese culture for my children is I’m neither very traditional nor do I agree with everything in my culture. My attempts at teaching them Mandarin and Teochew have failed spectacularly, and I’m not interested in passing on the conservative Chinese values I was raised with; I don’t want absolute obedience, my children’s sexual proclivities, whatever they turn out to be, are none of my business, and I want them to find their place in the world, not be put in their place by outdated ideas about daughters, wives or mothers. The only area I feel I could transmit culture in is food.
So, Lunar New Year means bak kwa (a juicy jerky), pineapple tarts (in the style of Singapore bakery Bengawan Solo), kueh bangkit (coconut cookies) and curry leaf salted egg yolk biscuits – the last not terribly traditional but I like them and, importantly, it’s among the few festive foods I can make. Because if I didn’t make it, there would be no festive food. (If we lived in London, with their festive pop-ups, things would be easier.)
My first attempt at grilling bak kwa was an absolute disaster. My girls hated it; I was devastated. Then my sister took pity and sent us some from Singapore’s Bee Cheng Hiang. The girls decided it was the world’s best thing. In desperation, I once emailed Bee Cheng Hiang begging it to deliver to Britain; I received a nice but firm no.
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By Fran Lu
The number of marriages in China has decreased again, with 4.747 million marriages recorded in the first three quarters of 2024, a drop of 16.6 per cent year on year.
But according to the Chinese matchmaking website Jiayuan, the dating market remains strong as younger generations were more open to that culture.
Among potential dates, a new “monkey-type man” has become a hot pick.
The definition first appeared on mainland social media describing male celebrities with fit bodies and big eyes like monkeys, such as actor Wu Lei, actor and singer Wang Hedi, and talk show performer Fu Hang, in contrast to “mouse-type man” and “dog-type man”.
“Monkey men might not look serious because of their good sense of humour, but they are reliable when you really need them,” one online observer said.Women in China appear to be more inclined to date a fit man who makes them laugh. Photo: Shutterstock
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Malaysia’s Asean chair to-do list, from turmoil to tariffs – and Trump
By Hadi Azmi
Malaysia takes the helm of Asean at a time of see-sawing threats and opportunities, with Donald Trump’s tariff-wielding return to the world stage, peaking tensions in the South China Sea and the deepening bloodshed in Myanmar all set to test the diplomatic skill of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
For Anwar, 77, this is a crowning moment in a career that has weathered persecution, imprisonment and decades in opposition. Since taking office in late 2022, he has worked to restore Malaysia’s global reputation after years of domestic political turmoil and introspective government.
His international outreach has seen him rattle through visits to China, the US, India, Russia and Turkey – to name but a few – signalling his administration’s focus on foreign relations and an acute awareness of the security and economic challenges ahead.
But will it be enough? Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations comes with responsibilities that are both symbolic and strategic – hosting key meetings, setting the agenda on pivotal issues including trade, security and disputes, and acting as the region’s face in global diplomacy.
Taken as a whole, the bloc represents the fifth-largest economy on Earth with a combined gross domestic product of US$3.6 trillion, growing at a combined 4.5 per cent in 2024.
Yet its effectiveness remains constrained by consensus-driven decision-making that can render it toothless when it comes to the most pressing issues. Critics have derided Asean as a “talking shop” incapable of decisive action, and Malaysia’s year in charge is unlikely to escape the same scrutiny.
“Chairs will be judged by how they manage – or mismanage – hot button issues, of which there are plenty for Malaysia to juggle this year,” Thomas Daniel, a foreign-policy analyst from Malaysia’s Institute of Strategic and International Studies, told This Week in Asia.
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By Hadi Azmi
Malaysia takes the helm of Asean at a time of see-sawing threats and opportunities, with Donald Trump’s tariff-wielding return to the world stage, peaking tensions in the South China Sea and the deepening bloodshed in Myanmar all set to test the diplomatic skill of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
For Anwar, 77, this is a crowning moment in a career that has weathered persecution, imprisonment and decades in opposition. Since taking office in late 2022, he has worked to restore Malaysia’s global reputation after years of domestic political turmoil and introspective government.
His international outreach has seen him rattle through visits to China, the US, India, Russia and Turkey – to name but a few – signalling his administration’s focus on foreign relations and an acute awareness of the security and economic challenges ahead.
But will it be enough? Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations comes with responsibilities that are both symbolic and strategic – hosting key meetings, setting the agenda on pivotal issues including trade, security and disputes, and acting as the region’s face in global diplomacy.
Taken as a whole, the bloc represents the fifth-largest economy on Earth with a combined gross domestic product of US$3.6 trillion, growing at a combined 4.5 per cent in 2024.
Yet its effectiveness remains constrained by consensus-driven decision-making that can render it toothless when it comes to the most pressing issues. Critics have derided Asean as a “talking shop” incapable of decisive action, and Malaysia’s year in charge is unlikely to escape the same scrutiny.
“Chairs will be judged by how they manage – or mismanage – hot button issues, of which there are plenty for Malaysia to juggle this year,” Thomas Daniel, a foreign-policy analyst from Malaysia’s Institute of Strategic and International Studies, told This Week in Asia.
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Education University of Hong Kong puts non-local students on notice over visas
By Wynna Wong
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) will review its mechanism for reminding non-local students about submitting their visa details to the institution after finding more than 900 had failed to do so.
The Immigration Department said on Friday it was seriously concerned about the matter, calling the 934 students involved a “significant” number.
EdU said it would create a task force to review the mechanism for reminding students to submit visa information in a timely manner after a recent check uncovered the scale of the problem.
“Applying for a visa and submitting the relevant documents is the personal responsibility of each non-local student,” a spokesman said.
“EdU has always emphasised the importance of law-abiding behaviour and adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal activities.”
The review came after the university notified authorities in September of last year that a non-local student was no longer studying at the school. In October, the department informed the university the student had overstayed.
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By Wynna Wong
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) will review its mechanism for reminding non-local students about submitting their visa details to the institution after finding more than 900 had failed to do so.
The Immigration Department said on Friday it was seriously concerned about the matter, calling the 934 students involved a “significant” number.
EdU said it would create a task force to review the mechanism for reminding students to submit visa information in a timely manner after a recent check uncovered the scale of the problem.
“Applying for a visa and submitting the relevant documents is the personal responsibility of each non-local student,” a spokesman said.
“EdU has always emphasised the importance of law-abiding behaviour and adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal activities.”
The review came after the university notified authorities in September of last year that a non-local student was no longer studying at the school. In October, the department informed the university the student had overstayed.
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Los Angeles like ‘war scene’ after wildfires, Biden says amid looting reports
By Agencies
US President Joe Biden on Friday likened Los Angeles to a “war scene” as multiple major wildfires continued to devour neighbourhoods around the city.
Biden added that there was “clear evidence” of looting during the mayhem, while also slamming “demagogues” for spreading rampant disinformation about the deadly blazes.
“It reminded me of more of a war scene, where you had certain targets that were bombarded,” Biden said as he received a briefing on the fires in the Oval Office of the White House. “It’s almost like a battle scene.”
Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in parts of Los Angeles hit by the fires amid fears of looting, and Biden said the government was providing security from the military to the National Guard.
“There’s clear evidence that there’s looting. There’s clear evidence that people are going into these survivors’ communities … and looting,” Biden said.
Biden also took a veiled swipe at incoming president Donald Trump, who has spread misinformation over the flames that has then been amplified on social media.
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By Agencies
US President Joe Biden on Friday likened Los Angeles to a “war scene” as multiple major wildfires continued to devour neighbourhoods around the city.
Biden added that there was “clear evidence” of looting during the mayhem, while also slamming “demagogues” for spreading rampant disinformation about the deadly blazes.
“It reminded me of more of a war scene, where you had certain targets that were bombarded,” Biden said as he received a briefing on the fires in the Oval Office of the White House. “It’s almost like a battle scene.”
Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in parts of Los Angeles hit by the fires amid fears of looting, and Biden said the government was providing security from the military to the National Guard.
“There’s clear evidence that there’s looting. There’s clear evidence that people are going into these survivors’ communities … and looting,” Biden said.
Biden also took a veiled swipe at incoming president Donald Trump, who has spread misinformation over the flames that has then been amplified on social media.
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Panama Canal chief denies Trump’s claims of Chinese meddling
By Associated Press
The administrator of the Panama Canal said on Friday that the vital waterway will remain in Panamanian hands and open to commerce from all countries, rejecting claims by US president-elect Donald Trump that the United States should take it over.
In an interview with Associated Press, Ricaurte Vásquez denied Trump’s claims that China was controlling the canal’s operations, and said making exceptions to current rules controlling its operation would lead to “chaos”.
He said Chinese companies operating in the ports on either end of the canal were part of a Hong Kong consortium that won a bidding process in 1997. He added that US and Taiwanese companies are operating other ports along the canal as well.
Trump has gone so far as to suggest the US should take control of the canal back and he would not rule out using military might to do so.
“It might be that you’ll have to do something,” Trump said on Tuesday. “The Panama Canal is vital to our country.” Trump has characterised the fees for transiting the canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as “ridiculous”.
Panama President José Raúl Mulino has said unequivocally that the canal will remain in Panamanian hands.
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By Associated Press
The administrator of the Panama Canal said on Friday that the vital waterway will remain in Panamanian hands and open to commerce from all countries, rejecting claims by US president-elect Donald Trump that the United States should take it over.
In an interview with Associated Press, Ricaurte Vásquez denied Trump’s claims that China was controlling the canal’s operations, and said making exceptions to current rules controlling its operation would lead to “chaos”.
He said Chinese companies operating in the ports on either end of the canal were part of a Hong Kong consortium that won a bidding process in 1997. He added that US and Taiwanese companies are operating other ports along the canal as well.
Trump has gone so far as to suggest the US should take control of the canal back and he would not rule out using military might to do so.
“It might be that you’ll have to do something,” Trump said on Tuesday. “The Panama Canal is vital to our country.” Trump has characterised the fees for transiting the canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as “ridiculous”.
Panama President José Raúl Mulino has said unequivocally that the canal will remain in Panamanian hands.
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US national security adviser fears Trump might push some Indo-Pacific nations toward China
By Robert Delaney
A senior White House official expressed concern on Friday that the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump will push some Indo-Pacific countries into China’s embrace if it diverges from the policies that President Joe Biden pursued in the region.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan made the comment as part of a media round table held to sum up the Biden administration’s “enduring commitment” to the region, just 10 days before Mike Waltz – Trump’s pick to fill Sullivan’s role – enters the White House.
“I do worry that questions about America’s reliability and staying power with our allies and partners will lead countries to say, ‘maybe we need to hedge with China’,” Sullivan said.
“That is a genuine concern, and so my hope is that when the new administration comes in, they a clear message of continuity and saying power and commitment … and that they’ll want to build upon the strategic position of the United States in the region.”
Sullivan spoke after a series of Trump statements indicating that he will seek an aggressively expansive foreign policy that shows little regard for the sovereignty of some US allies, including a suggestion that Canada become America’s 51st state and an ambiguous stance on the defence of Ukraine.
Trump has also taken an increasingly critical stance towards other mutual defence agreements, even suggesting in a campaign speech that Russia should attack members of Nato who had not met their defence spending commitments.
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By Robert Delaney
A senior White House official expressed concern on Friday that the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump will push some Indo-Pacific countries into China’s embrace if it diverges from the policies that President Joe Biden pursued in the region.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan made the comment as part of a media round table held to sum up the Biden administration’s “enduring commitment” to the region, just 10 days before Mike Waltz – Trump’s pick to fill Sullivan’s role – enters the White House.
“I do worry that questions about America’s reliability and staying power with our allies and partners will lead countries to say, ‘maybe we need to hedge with China’,” Sullivan said.
“That is a genuine concern, and so my hope is that when the new administration comes in, they a clear message of continuity and saying power and commitment … and that they’ll want to build upon the strategic position of the United States in the region.”
Sullivan spoke after a series of Trump statements indicating that he will seek an aggressively expansive foreign policy that shows little regard for the sovereignty of some US allies, including a suggestion that Canada become America’s 51st state and an ambiguous stance on the defence of Ukraine.
Trump has also taken an increasingly critical stance towards other mutual defence agreements, even suggesting in a campaign speech that Russia should attack members of Nato who had not met their defence spending commitments.
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Meta abandons racial diversity programmes as Zuckerberg woos Trump
Meta宣布解散其多样性、公平性和包容性（DEI）项目，这是该公司战略重大转变的一部分，符合政治保守派的优先事项。这一决定在一份内部备忘录中透露，包括取消多元化招聘计划和解散DEI团队等内容。
Meta的这一举措是对美国最高法院近期裁决的反应，这些裁决对允许在美国大学中增加多样性优先事项的项目产生了影响。该公司表示，法律和政策环境正在发生变化。同时，这一公告也发生在Meta最近对内容审核政策进行了重大调整之际，标志着其与即将上任的美国总统特朗普的优先事项一致。Meta首席执行官马克·扎克伯格近期积极与特朗普进行和解，并在特朗普当选后捐赠了100万美元给其就职基金。
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Meta宣布解散其多样性、公平性和包容性（DEI）项目，这是该公司战略重大转变的一部分，符合政治保守派的优先事项。这一决定在一份内部备忘录中透露，包括取消多元化招聘计划和解散DEI团队等内容。
Meta的这一举措是对美国最高法院近期裁决的反应，这些裁决对允许在美国大学中增加多样性优先事项的项目产生了影响。该公司表示，法律和政策环境正在发生变化。同时，这一公告也发生在Meta最近对内容审核政策进行了重大调整之际，标志着其与即将上任的美国总统特朗普的优先事项一致。Meta首席执行官马克·扎克伯格近期积极与特朗普进行和解，并在特朗普当选后捐赠了100万美元给其就职基金。
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Venezuela’s Maduro takes new oath amid protests about disputed election
委内瑞拉总统尼古拉斯·马杜罗在 renewed protests and international condemnation中宣誓就职，继续其日益专制的统治。他在立法宫进行宣誓，周围戒备森严，表明他对权力的控制依链于安全部队。尽管美国和其他国家认为他在去年的选举中舞弊，但他依然展现出强大的支持，周围聚集了穿着亲马杜罗T恤的人群。
在宣誓仪式上，马杜罗将自己比作圣经中的大卫，与反对派及其美国支持者斗争，指责他们试图将这一事件转变为“世界大战”。他称，未能阻止他连任意味着委内瑞拉的和平与国家主权获得了重大胜利，并强调其领导地位并非由美国或其他拉美“亲帝国主义”国家所助推。
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委内瑞拉总统尼古拉斯·马杜罗在 renewed protests and international condemnation中宣誓就职，继续其日益专制的统治。他在立法宫进行宣誓，周围戒备森严，表明他对权力的控制依链于安全部队。尽管美国和其他国家认为他在去年的选举中舞弊，但他依然展现出强大的支持，周围聚集了穿着亲马杜罗T恤的人群。
在宣誓仪式上，马杜罗将自己比作圣经中的大卫，与反对派及其美国支持者斗争，指责他们试图将这一事件转变为“世界大战”。他称，未能阻止他连任意味着委内瑞拉的和平与国家主权获得了重大胜利，并强调其领导地位并非由美国或其他拉美“亲帝国主义”国家所助推。
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Havana Syndrome: US finds no link to foreign foe, but 2 spy agencies say it’s possible
美国情报机构未发现证据表明有外国势力与“哈瓦那综合症”伤害相关联。尽管如此，部分机构表示可能存在外国对手开发或使用导致这些伤害的武器的可能性。这一结论是基于七个不同情报机构对一些美国外交官及政府人员所报告的脑部损伤和其他症状的评估。
这项评估是在周五发布的，五个情报机构认为外国对手参与这些事件的可能性极低。然而，另外两个机构提出了不同的观点，认为有可能存在某种外国力量所开发的技术或武器。值得注意的是，这两个机构并未找到证据将任何特定事件与外国技术相联系，而是基于对外国武器发展和能力的理解进行了评估。症状最早于2016年在古巴首次被报告，此后在多个国家被数百名美国外交和政府人员经历，这一系列健康问题最终被称为“哈瓦那综合症”。
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美国情报机构未发现证据表明有外国势力与“哈瓦那综合症”伤害相关联。尽管如此，部分机构表示可能存在外国对手开发或使用导致这些伤害的武器的可能性。这一结论是基于七个不同情报机构对一些美国外交官及政府人员所报告的脑部损伤和其他症状的评估。
这项评估是在周五发布的，五个情报机构认为外国对手参与这些事件的可能性极低。然而，另外两个机构提出了不同的观点，认为有可能存在某种外国力量所开发的技术或武器。值得注意的是，这两个机构并未找到证据将任何特定事件与外国技术相联系，而是基于对外国武器发展和能力的理解进行了评估。症状最早于2016年在古巴首次被报告，此后在多个国家被数百名美国外交和政府人员经历，这一系列健康问题最终被称为“哈瓦那综合症”。
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As a felon, Trump can vote but can’t own gun, has to turn over DNA
美国总统当选人唐纳德·特朗普因纽约封口费案件被判有罪，但法院决定不对其处以监禁、罚款或社区服务，最终以无条件释放结束此案。这意味着尽管特朗普的商业记录造假罪名仍在，但他不需要承担任何实际惩罚。
然而，除非这一判决将来被推翻，否则特朗普的犯罪记录中将有重罪记录，这可能会影响他的某些权利。尽管佛罗里达州禁止重罪犯投票，但在完成其刑罚后，可恢复投票权。对于其他州的重罪犯，佛罗里达州只会在其原州丧失投票权的情况下取消其投票资格。
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美国总统当选人唐纳德·特朗普因纽约封口费案件被判有罪，但法院决定不对其处以监禁、罚款或社区服务，最终以无条件释放结束此案。这意味着尽管特朗普的商业记录造假罪名仍在，但他不需要承担任何实际惩罚。
然而，除非这一判决将来被推翻，否则特朗普的犯罪记录中将有重罪记录，这可能会影响他的某些权利。尽管佛罗里达州禁止重罪犯投票，但在完成其刑罚后，可恢复投票权。对于其他州的重罪犯，佛罗里达州只会在其原州丧失投票权的情况下取消其投票资格。
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